{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}~ August 26, 2012

Can you believe I didn't take a single picture this week?  I'm going to have to dig back through the archives for this week's post.  These are all from spring or early summer. . .

{Pretty}

Whiter-than-snow clouds against a deep blue sky.  This is from May, but we've had similar weather recently.  The colors are striking.

{Happy}

 

 

 

My wonderful son-in-law and grandbaby.  I love, love, love this picture~ they way they are turned toward each other, her button nose, the quiet bond between them.  It melts my heart every time. 

 

 

{Funny}

 

My squirrel (the one with the apples, remember?) still hangs around the yard eating whatever he can~ plums and dried corn, as here.  But alas, there were no apples on the tree this year.  He did, however, find himself a lady love and they have settled down to raise a family.

 

 



 

{Real}

 

In July at the Circe conference I finally got to meet in person a sweet lady I have known via the internet for a decade.  Then this weekend she stayed with us for a night after dropping her son off at college, so after ten years of electronic friendship, we have met twice in one summer!  We already knew we had a lot of the same interests and likes and dislikes, so it was such a treat to talk with her face-to-face.  But I did ever think of taking a picture?  No . . . and neither did she, apparently.  So my {real} this week is the lack of a picture I should very much like to have taken!

 

 

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{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}~ August 19, 2012

Long time no see.   It's time to try to get back into the swing of things, but honestly, if things swing any harder, I'm going to go flying right off the swing and land with a gigantic thud!

{Pretty}

Remember when I told you about our minivan being set on fire and exploding?  (Quick update: the police have caught the perpetrators.  One has confessed, so I assume that means the other two, who are juveniles, are still alleged perpetrators.  Well done, local and state police!)  After two months of juggling driving needs with only one car, we were given a truck!  It's a 1989 Ford something-or-other and until now has been owned by the same family.  It's quite low mileage, especially considering its age, and has been very nicely maintained.  Man of the House is thrilled and so am I!  Thank the Lord for His provision!

See how clean it is?

{Happy}

Our garden has started producing which means we are learning how to preserve it.  I confess that I was a bit apprehensive about the whole idea of canning, but it's not as hard as I feared.  We are tackling it together and trying to keep up.  Just when I think we are finished for awhile, though, there is more to be picked! 

Did you know you can freeze peppers without blanching them first?  Yes, you can, according to the University of Nebraska.

Here's another thing that makes me happy~















because this~

is what used to be there.  Thanks, Man of the House! :-)

{Real}

Here's the other side of the truck we were given~

I think Man of the House likes it all the better for the dent!


Go to Like Mother, Like Daughter for more {phfr} fun!

{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}~ August 5, 2012

Time for {phfr} again!

{Pretty}

Last spring, Girl of the House asked for her own flower garden.  I have always tried to interest both our girls in flower gardening.  They both had little patches of ground at our old house, but they had definitely lost interest, so I was thrilled when Girl 2 wanted to try again.  Her garden is doing great!  She's doing a fantastic job keeping it weeded and watered, and look how everything is thriving!

{Happy}

Our vegetable gardens are flourishing, which makes us very happy.  I wrote a post about it a couple days ago.  It's hard to keep up with it!

I am just a little bit proud of these tomatoes.  I grew them from seed, which I am told is rather difficult to do.  It's either beginner's luck or not knowing better than to try, so I just did it and it all worked out somehow.  Oh, and the advice from our friend the farmer helped also.

{Real}

The squashes and cucumbers (in one bed) and the gourds (in another with the sweet potatoes which have been totally lost and swallowed up) have outgrown their allotted space and spilled over onto the lawn.  We are surprised by this development because in Appalachia, this was never a problem.  Nothing ever grew to the enormous size you see here.  It's the rich, black soil enhanced by horse manure, I'm sure.  We'll have to have another plan for next year . . .

Go to Leila's for more {phfr} fun!

Our Gardens and Their Produce

A picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll show you how the gardens are doing instead of telling you.

It's the excellent soil.  Our garden in the clay soil of Appalachia never produced like this!

"The eyes of all look to You, O Lord, and You give them their food in the proper time.  You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing."  (Psalm 145:15)